I agree with Odaon with regards to scandi vs convex and knife steel, although I still like my Bush Hermit as my go to outdoors knife. The scandi grind is a wonderful wood working tool and I'll always keep one in the pack for carving while sitting by the fire, but for any real work I've come to prefer a nice convex blade that is 1/8. Below are my thoughts on the knives I used that weekend, which may be of some assistance for anyone considering a new bushcrafting knife.
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I'm a solid medium glove with my hand being 18 cm from the base of my wrist to the tip of my middle finger and 9 cm across the widest part of my palm. So here is what I used.
FF Small Machete - We used this knife to harvest all of the bamboo for the weekend in combination with a Laplander and Gomboy 240. The machete is absolutely devastating in limbing and would slice through stalks 2" or less in diameter with a wall thickness of approximately 1/8". The machete is such a powerful all around tool you could get away with carrying it by itself in most situations with some experience working with it.
FF Shaman 3/32 - This was a knife I wanted the first time I saw the profile and as soon as I saw the handle material I liked I jumped on it. In comparison to any other Fiddleback, the Shaman's blocky appearance sets it apart and tends to visually give the look of utility. Well, I can tell you first hand this knife is the world's finest "utility" box cutting tool you could ever own. In 3/32 it is very "slicey" and the upsweep towards the tip accentuates the slicing ability. the commando, more blocky handle of the knife is very neutral in hand and amazingly comfortable in any grip you can put it in. this feature of the knife makes it great for all of the everyday tasks such as package opening, cutting rope and line, trimming materials and food prep. It's size IMO is also small enough for EDC and large enough for bigger tasks as well. the Shaman is not a tweener knife. the slim profile of the blade and handles allow the knife to slip into the pocket and carry much like a Runt or Esquire. I fashioned a pocket sheath with no loop or other attachment point and its great for carry in either the front or back pocket. With its price point at around $200 there is no reason why any Fiddleback collector should not have at least one in rotation and use the hell out of it.
FF Bush Hermit 1/8 - My all time favorite Fiddleback visually and to use. Everything about the BH is made for optimal performance. It is the Ford GT of the FF lineup. for my hands, the slightly taller profile of the BH over the Bushfinger gives the knife a wholly different feel and by going taller and not so much wider it provides for me added control and comfort, especially with use over a long period of time. the size is also perfect for heavier bushcrafting tasks and the fine tip of the blade is excellent for fine work and drilling, which requires optimal control. Where the BH really showed out was when we were making try sticks. I used all of the knives during this lesson and it felt more comfortable with more control over any other option. I could continue to go on and on about this knife, but if you are an outdoors person you absolutely need this knife.
FF Leuku 1/8 - If you are a fan of the Patch/Recluse/Leuku line you will really like this knife. Not produced in the same volume as the other two in the line, the Leuku is a very capable outdoors knife. Before I held this knife in my hand it was always my perception that the Leuku was more on par with either the Duke or Woodsman in size and weight, however, it is considerably less on both accounts. The simple elegance of the Leuku is very eye catching and once you have a chance to try one out and see it is likely smaller than you thought and you will realize how nimble and versatile it is at a number of tasks. I particularly like the blade to handle ratio of this knife.
Old Skool Muk 1/8 - My favorite pattern group of all Fiddlebacks is the Muks and this one just may be at the top of the list. the leaf shaped blade and sinuous curve along the back of the spine are both extraordinarily comfortable and pleasing to the eye. In hammer grip my thumb slides right up the back of the handle and settles delightfully into what I would call the "small of the back" of the blade where it allows for complete control. The tip of this knife is also perfectly aligned with the center line of the knife, which is something often overlooked or not mentioned nearly enough when people review knives and what makes them a good user in may instances. Not many better companions than a good Muk for a day in the woods.
Bush Crafter JR 1/8 - EDC excellence. this knife handles all the tasks of the bigger knives and crushes the tasks set before it that are typically designated for smaller blades. Amazing ergos, and a great belly are the hallmarks of this knife. I absolutely love it and will most often carry it whenever I can size up from either a Runt or Esquire. I especially like the BC JR for prepping materials and general EDC tasks. Definitely a top choice if you needed a knife to do both big and small tasks, but the element of concealment or overbearing laws force your hand in the amount of blade you can carry.
Now if any of you have looked into any of my older posts regarding the topic of "if you could have only one knife or tool what would it be", I still am of the opinion that I would have a 5/32 Duke or Woodsman on my person. However, with my kit I carry a Liam Hoffman bearded belt axe, a Silky Gomboy 240 and a Fiddleback. The first two stay consistent while the Fiddleback changes based on what I'm doing on that particular outing or believe it or not my mood. Any and all of these knives are more than capable either stand alone or paired up in a trio with other complimenting tools. I would also like to say that there are a number of other patterns (Asp comes immediately to mind) that has all the qualities of a great Fiddleback, but I did not happen to use either this past weekend or extensively on my own time. Guess that just means I need to spend more time outdoors and acquire a few new Fiddlebacks!!!